Igo player no te
by Lilliess-Hydrass
Summary: This story is set 1 year after the thing that happens in volume 15. So yeah, it has spoilers, so a proper summary inside. Rather mysterious and evilish, so R and R. The title means: A Go Players hand UPDATED PROPERLY AT LAST!
1. Unfinished game

Igo player no te  
  
As I said earlier 'Igo player no te' means 'A Go player's hands'. This story is set exactly one year after that tragedy that occurred in Volume 15, or episode 60, and that's about 8 or 9 months since the dream. That's right I'm talking about the disappearance of Sai. No one wanted it to happen, but it did, on the 5/05/02..I'm pretty sure it was meant to be 2002 anyway. Anyway, that's boys' day. And the exact same date as Torajiro's birthday. Coincidence? I think not. However, let's forget that for now. The fact is, this is the same day that Sai left us. one year later. What will Hikaru do, if anything to make it special? What will he think about and remember? And what will happen?  
  
'blah blah blah' spoken  
  
blah blah blah thought  
  
I don know if the italics come out on this, sorry I'm new, I'll figure it out.  
  
Chapter 1 'The unfinished game'  
  
Hikaru awoke that fateful 5/05/03 and looked out the window, the fish flags were already up and the sun was pretty much out. It took a moment for Hikaru to realize what day it really was.  
  
'Sai' Hikaru whispered into the empty room. Yes, just one year ago, Sai had still been with him. Exactly one year ago had they still been on the train. Tired, and grumpy, was it this time last year that Hikaru and practically been ignoring his friend? Or had they already been home playing that last game, Hikaru had been too tired to notice the time.  
  
Hikaru got up and looked at the clock.8 am? No it had been later then that, the Shinkansen wasn't that fast. He didn't know why, but he wanted to be exact that day, to honor Sai properly. Hikaru went downstairs, he felt so strange, as if Sai were almost with him on this day. Hikaru hugged himself and continued to the kitchen. He sat down with his mother and they ate breakfast together in silence. It seemed several times like she really wanted to say something but kept deciding not to. Hikaru just continued eating, basking in this feeling that his guardian angel was with him once more on this day.  
  
He finished breakfast and put his plate in the sink and headed up stairs, as he was going his mother decided to speak, 'remember, it was around this time last year you came home from your job? And then less than an hour later you ran off to Hiroshima.you never did tell me what that was about.' Hs mother's face seemed slightly distant, he knew ever since he'd become a pro she'd been rather stressed, However so much practice at leaving his mother in the dark stopped him from saying anything reassuring now, and he just headed up to his room without saying a word and closed the door behind him.  
  
He changed clothes so that he was more or less wearing what he had a year ago. Hikaru got up on his bed, opened the window and let the wind blow hi face, in the depths of his mind Hikaru could hear 'Hikaru, ikokyu ushimashou'.  
  
He turned around to face his Goban and began replaying their last game. Placing all the stones down, each one with its' own meaning. Despite how tired he had been that day, he could still remember this game. Sai had not been holding back those last few games they had played. Beating Hikaru mercilessly, Hikaru knew it was that kind of ability that would lead to the 'divine move'. Hikaru observed the game in front of him, yes, a game that began with these few moves, a game just like this, would lead to The Hand of God.  
  
He was getting tired, just like that day, had he missed Sai's last move? Or just his last words.. Hikaru yawned and placed his move. He leaned on his hand hunched over, he was almost asleep, then he remembered, 'Oi, sai, omae no ban douzo..omae no ban detteba..' Hikaru's head snapped up, 'Sai!' Then he remembered, that's right he's gone, that was his last move there, and then my move here.and then he was gone.  
  
Hikaru looked at the game again. Where would he have gone next? He's a part of me now, I was with him so long, I should know where his next move would be..Hikaru slumped again looking through the tired eyes of the boy he'd been a year ago. Hikaru kept looking over the last few moves, then finally he raised the white stone in favor of Sai, lifting the stone and placing it with elegance on the board, keeping his hand on it to admire the great work of the master Go genius Sai. There It's done, the move he never made is done, for you Sai, Hikaru was practically asleep now, he lifted his right hand, the hand that had won him so much, could there be any thing more precious to a Go player? He tilted it face up to flex it, just in the way he had when he had sworn he would play no more go. His eyes fell over his fingers, then the stones and board. His eyes widened and he let out a small gasp.  
  
There was blood everywhere.  
  
TBC.  
  
Key:  
  
Shinkansen: a bullet train  
  
'Hikaru, ikokyu ushimashou': Hikaru, let's play a game.  
  
'Oi, sai, omae no ban douzo..omae no ban detteba..': Hey Sai, it's your turn, I said it's your turn...  
  
Want to know more? I assure you there is much more to this mystery, the mystery that's hardly really begun in ^^;; if I get 5 reviews I will write more. I hope someone liked it. Comeone people, make with the reviewing. Oh and my email, if you want to get all personal on me: lilliansurrascool3001@hotmail.com 


	2. What happend to your hand?

***********-------READ THESE SO IT'S ALL GOOD AND LEGAL-----**********  
  
Author notes: I forgot the disclaimer last time, so here goes.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Hikago, Hotta and Obatta and Shounen Jump and Konami and Avex Mode and TV Tokyo stations too(TV Tokyo NAS I believe). And so, with that said, it is no longer a crime for this story to exist, for its previous chapter to have existed, and for me to continue it, because I have openly admitted that I did not make the characters of Hikago! Even though it's completely obvious because this story is a 'fanfic' and is featured on 'fanfiction.net'.  
  
More Authors notes: I would like to apologize for several things. Firstly; for not emailing everyone that reviewed, sorry, I probably won't do it but if you really want to hassle me just email me, lilliansurrascool3001@hotmail.com I mean, you still have to review, but.you know, harassment is priceless, for whatever reason.  
  
Secondly; I am sorry for this story being so crap, originally when I wrote it, it was to be a 'one-shot' then about ten minutes later I changed my mind. I'm suspired anyone liked it, but that's not what most of the apologizing is for. The apologizing is for the lack of detail and the most likely crappy sentences, as I thought no one would like it, I hardly tried.and I'm not so good at English, well I am, (best subject, even if my English teacher thinks I choose crappy subjects she says I have good imagination but bad composure) but I wasn't trying, I'll make it good and long this time. *punches air*  
  
Oh yeah, italics don't seem to work but meh, anything with "or 'is being spoken aloud and if its not and it seems like talking without italics is supposedly thought-spoken.  
Igo player no te  
  
Chapter 2: What happened to your hand?  
  
That's right, blood everywhere, dripping from his right hand, splashed across the stones, the Goban, everywhere.  
  
Now wide awake Hikaru looked over the scene before him. He slowly raised both his hands to his face, his eyes scanning from his bloodied right hand to his clean left. He seemed to tremble slightly before he shook his head, screwed up his eyes, took a deep breath, counted to three and opened them again.  
  
The blood was still there, fresh and plentiful.but there was so much, too much; it looked just as if he'd slashed his wrists over the Goban. How can I still be conscious with that much blood out of me?  
  
The wind blew though the open window making the curtains shudder, distorting the light of the room momentarily and pushing Hikaru's blonde fringe into his frantic eyes. That's when Hikaru though he saw something move out of the corner of his eye, something big And dark, he looked up from his hands, but there was nothing. His senses were telling him something was wrong, and the back of his neck was prickling uncomfortably.  
  
Hikaru got up carefully, cradling his right hand with his left, and backed out of the room slowly. Once out of the room he ran as fast as he could to the bathroom. He leaned over the sink and looked at himself in the mirror. He still looked panicked. Hikaru closed his eyes and tried breathing in deeply again. I am calm. I am very calm. I've just cut my hand is all, and what's so unreasonable about that as to freak me out? But it wasn't helping, Hikaru knew he was lying, and lying to your self is the worst.  
  
Hikaru started filling up the basin and fumbling around for something bandage his hand. Most of this was difficult as Hikaru was right handed and trying to hold his right hand with his left hand and do the necessary medical procedure at the same time. He soon realized that this was proving very difficult and there didn't seem to be any bandages wherever they looked.  
  
Hikaru stuck his head out of the bathroom door and yelled downstairs, "Okaasan! Can you help me with something?" Hikaru waited a moment, and then when no answer came, "Okaasan!" still no answer. Hikaru wrapped a towel around his hand and went down stairs. "Okaasan!" but there was no reply. He continued all through the house yelling, but he knew there would be no answer. Why isn't she here? Where did she go? shopping again? Why leave no note?  
  
Hikaru tried to reason with himself. There was no reason for her to have to leave a note, she went out all the time, but still, could there have been a worse time?  
  
Hikaru went back upstairs to attend to his hand. He unwrapped the towel now thoroughly stained with blood. Geez where's the blood coming from? If I keep losing it I'll be out soon. It was only then that he realized despite all the blood and panic he was feeling, there was no pain, no about- to-collapse-feeling. Hikaru shook his head and placed his hand in the basin and watched the water turn red as the blood washed from his hand. Hikaru pulled the plug and began refilling the basin again with clean water and that's when he saw it, the source of the blood. He lifted his hand to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, but no as he watched blood poured from the very tips of his index and middle finger. Within seconds it was all over his hand and trickling down his arm again.  
  
Hikaru turned back to his left hand; perfect, untouched unscarred, no blood, nothing. All right that's it, I'm calling someone. Hikaru grabbed the towel, wrapped it around his hand again and hurried downstairs to the phone.  
  
He pickup the receiver, who am I going to call anyway? An ambulance? No, no, best wait 'till 'kaasan gets home, No you idiot Hikaru! You're bleeding to death! Ambulance! Ambulance! Hikaru picked up the receiver and started dialing. It was only after he'd dialed several clumsy numbers with his left hand that he realized there was no dial tone.  
  
'Nandayou?!' Hikaru put the phone down and decided to go look for his mobile phone. It was probably in his room, if I can't find it in five minutes I'll scrap it and just go to a neighbor, I am not dying today.  
  
Hikaru ran upstairs to his room, but stopped at the door way. There in front of him hunched over the Goban was a hunched figure yawning. He raised his head slightly and managed to slur out "OI! Sai! Omae no ban douzo. Omae no ban detteba.Sai! The boy in font of Hikaru looked up and across the Goban at wisp of disappearing light.  
  
Hikaru ran forward and yelled, 'SAI!'. He ran across the room and leaped on the blobs of light and curled his arms around them, but they wisped right through him and vanished along with the 'other' Hikaru'.  
  
Hikaru sat there curled up in a ball on the floor, in the last place Sai had sat and whispered 'Sai, I missed it again, your last words, because I was off being selfish. I always said you were selfish, but, all along it was me, I was the selfish one. Gomen ne? Sai.'  
  
Hikaru heard a sound downstairs. He looked up and wiped some tears from his eyes. 'Kaasan?' Hikaru got up and then looked down in amazement, the blood on the Goban was gone. Hikaru ran into the bathroom and looked around, no blood anywhere. Hikaru removed the towel from his hand and looked at it, perfect. Had he imagined..?  
  
Hikaru went downstairs to greet his mother with a friendly 'okaeri nasai'  
  
'Okaeri? But I never left, I've been down here making lunch! Want some?' she asked waving a frying pan under his nose. 'Nani?' Hikaru's blood ran cold; He couldn't have imagines that too.could he?  
  
Hikaru's heart was beating fast, and that panic was beginning to come back  
  
Hikaru, doushita no? Eh! Hikaru! What have you done to you hand! You're bleeding!  
  
Hikaru looked down at his hand; there was blood all over it.  
  
An illusion? There was only one way to find out. Hikaru raised his hand to his mouth and licked the tip of his index finger.  
  
Salty,  
  
TBC...  
  
Yeah! I can't write! Terrible ne? A bit longer though..But if I get 5 more reviews! I'll write more!!! And I don't care if it's people that have already reviewed! But let me know if it's an improvement on that poor excuse for a first chapter? Well cya's!  
  
Key:  
  
Okaasan/Kaasan: mother or mum  
  
Omae no ban douzo, omae no ban detteba etc : Hey its' your turn Sai! I said it's your turn! Sai!  
  
Nandayou!: WHAT?!/what the hell!?  
  
Nani: what  
  
Doushita no: what's wrong?  
  
Gomen ne?: I'm sorry 


	3. Always with the hand

I haven't updated in ages but after I got good responses from my little thing I have decided to continue and maybe even make previous chaps better. Please remember I half wrote this 5 weeks ago and then now, so it might be weird. And I stepped on my contact lenses this morning so. *sigh* I am screwed, but I have finished my assignments so, go on R and R!  
  
Chapter 3: Always with the hand  
  
Hikaru's mother gaped for a second. Then pulled Hikaru's hand to her face and looked it over. 'Nandayo? I thought I saw blood on your hand! She dropped her sons' hand and turned mumbling about stress and required breaks.  
  
Hikaru watched her for a second then, "But Okaasan there is blood on my-"he stopped. It was gone, nothing left of it at all.  
  
Hikaru also decided that he needed rest, but not the 'in the house kind'. He grabbed his jacket and yelled back "I'm going out for a while" and closed the door behind him.  
  
Hikaru didn't know where to go, so he just let his feet take him wherever they wanted. Hikaru walked for ages until he thought he was sensing something familiar and looked up. He was in the central region/ business district. Streets and streets of shops and restaurants, which included Hikaru's favorite Ramen place.  
  
Hikaru decided that ramen was just the thing to take his mind of his insanity. Hikaru went in, ordered a bowl and sat waiting. It was while he was sitting that a girl tapped him on the shoulder. Hikaru looked up "Hey Akari, what are you doing here?" Akari sat down beside the boy she liked so very much and said, "you know, just thought you might be here or something, and you were" Akari blushed slightly. Hikaru sighed and thanked the waitress as she handed him his bowl of ramen and turned back to the troublesome girl. "Akari, could you please get me some chop sticks? They're closer to you." "Of course" Akari stood up, reached over the counter and took some. She smiled, sat down and held them out to Hikaru, "douzo" "Thanks, mumbled Hikaru, not really wanting to deal with such a cheerful girl on such a stressful day.  
  
Hikaru lifted his eyes and outstretched his hands to take the chopsticks. His eyes snapped open and he almost fell off his chair. "Akari! What did you do to your hand? Hikaru yelled. Other customers looked around to see a boy half backed away across a chair and a clearly shaken girl with chopsticks outstretched in one hand. "Akari looked down at her hand in wonder, "Ummm, nothing? Why? What do you mean?" Hikaru got up and seized Akari's hand with his own holding it between their faces, "Look! How can you not see? There's blood all over it!" "Where?" Hikaru dropped Akari's hand and left the Ramen place instantly, leaving his meal uneaten and his friend starring after him. Hikaru walked for a while before he realized that that conversation was familiar. Hadn't there been another time when Hikaru had seen blood where Akari could not?  
  
No this was different.  
  
Surely.  
  
Hikaru kept walking until he came to another familiar place. Touya's Go salon. Hikaru didn't really know why he was there, he really didn't feel like playing go right now, but going home didn't seem great either so he went inside. Being inside the go salon made Hikaru calm down a little, it was so reassuring being in such a familiar place. Hikaru walked to the counter to greet the smiling Ichikawa who informed Shindo that Akira was busy with some other customers but would be out in a minute.  
  
Hikaru sat down and waited for Akira.  
  
Hikaru waited and waited. But Akira didn't seem to be emerging from the back. Hikaru, bored, began investigating the floor and then his fingernails, and then the walls. His eyes eventually traveled directly in front of him and he found there was a woman standing in front of him staring at him.  
  
She was pale and tall with straight blue hair and sharp eyes. "Would you like to play a game young man?" she asked Hikaru suddenly.  
  
Hikaru a little startled replied, "er.no I'm sort of waiting for someone". The woman fixed him with a look, a look he knew he's d seen before, but couldn't quite remember..  
  
"Do you know what Go is? Go is more than a game on a board, it's more than a game of calculation and wit, Go is a meeting of minds. Only when two minds entwine perfectly shall we see The Hand of God, the gateway for our minds to enter a new level of divine existence, and whilst that is almost impossible to do that our minds can meet across a Goban on a different plain of being every day.  
  
Hikaru lifted his head and looked the woman in the eyes, "I want to play." The woman smiled. "May I play white?" Hikaru thought it was a little strange that anyone would want to be white, but iddn't question it as he had found this little speech of the highest inspiration and had only ever heard one person talk like that before.  
  
Hikaru and the woman sat down at an unoccupied table and played. Hikaru thought this stranger played very well. Very, very well. Was she a pro? Hikaru, thought and played each move, screwing up his face in concentration, despite this, he seemed to know where to go.  
  
Hikaru suddenly realized which game they were playing. He opened his mouth to say something and at the same time the woman playing him got up and smiled, "let's leave it there shall we?" she got up and left instantly leaving Hikaru to stare at the board. Exactly the same game he'd played that morning, minus the estimated move of Sai. He jerked his head up suddenly "Machi Nasai!"  
  
But she was gone.  
  
Not just her, everyone, there wasn't a sound to be heard in the go salon, no cars outside, no nothing, Hikaru was alone. His heart was thumping loudly now. "Touya! Ichikawa!"  
  
There was no answer.  
  
He could hear nothing except the beating of his heart, the sound was covering everything.  
  
And then distantly through the beats a soft cry could be heard.  
  
"Still your heart."  
  
A hand landed on his shoulder and Hikaru jumped.  
  
Or rather jerked suddenly as he found himself looking into the eyes of Akira and still sitting on a chair near the counter.  
  
"So bored you fell asleep eh shindo?"  
  
Hikaru's eyes widened.  
  
"Touya! Your hand! It's all~"  
  
But Akira wasn't listening he bent down and picked something off the ground and handed it to Hikaru, "did you drop this?"  
  
Shindo looked at the paper, on it was a haiku:  
  
He came in autumn He left me one spring morning Always in my heart  
  
Tears sprung to Hikaru's eyes  
  
What was going on?  
  
Akira looked at Hikaru "doushitanda?" Hikaru looked at Akira, at his hands and back at the poem.  
  
"Wakarinai"  
  
notes: nandayo = what okaasan/'kaasan = mother douzo= here you go mach nasai= please wait doushitanda= what's wrong? Wakarinai= I don't know 


	4. AUthor note

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH It;s been updated! And thank you everyone who wanted it done!  
  
Believe it or not it IS going somewhere and there is an answer for everything!  
  
So nyah!  
  
Just had to put this up!  
  
Bring on the angst and bleeding!  
  
~Lil 


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